Marina Wingenbach, 46, of Monrovia was also cheering on the marathoners. She remembers how challenging her first L.A. Marathon was. So when she heard her nephew was running it this year she made sure to come out.

"Having someone there for you in the crowd can make all the difference," said Wingenbach, who has run three marathons.

As she waited for her nephew, Christopher Castaneda, she encouraged other runners by holding up a sign with green shamrocks that said, "Good luck and God speed."

The L.A. Marathon is a reflection of the city's diversity, said Michael Gray, 55, of Los Angeles.

The real estate agent had come to support two coworkers, who ran up to him when they saw him and gave him a hug.

"You have so many different cultures come together for one marathon," Gray said. "It's a great show of unity and we do it right."